Steaming and pressing device



W66 a. A. SCHAEIFFER ETAL 3,264,765

STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1965 mm mmINVENTORS GEORGE A. SCHAEFFER NEIL WHITE ATTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1966 G. A.SCHAEFFER ETAL 3,264,765

STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1965 ZSheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS GEORGE A. SCHAEFFER NEIL WHITE ATT RNEYS United States Patent3,264,765 STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE George A. Schaeffer, 43 Oak RestLane, North Babylon, N.Y., and Neil White, 65-50 Wetherole St, RegoPark, N.Y.

Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,379 16 Claims. (Cl. 38-141) Thisinvention relates to fabric material treating devices and moreparticularly to portable devices for steaming, pressing orsimultaneously steaming and pressing relatively small and particularlyshaped portions of fabric garments to improve the appearance thereof.

Situations frequently arise in the merchandising and display of fabricgarment-s, such as mens and womens shirts and blouses, where it isdesirable to steam, press or steam and press localized portions of suchgarments, such as the collars and cuffs thereof, to improve theappearance of these portions and thereby present a totally acceptableappearance to the garments. For example, when shirts and blouses aremanufactured and thereafter packaged for display by the manufacturer, orare received in bulk packages from the manufacturer to be repackaged fordisplay by the retailer, it frequently occurs that the pointed collarsof mens shirts and the various shaped rounded collars on womens blouses,and/ or the cuffs of either, become turned or bent, either during thepackaging or during shipment, with the result that these part becomecreased and present an undesirable appearance upon subsequent display.Since these garments are frequently packaged in individual displaypackages, it is a burdensome, and in some cases impossible, task toremove a garment from the package and press it by conventional means toremove the crease. The overturned portion of the collar or cuff may beturned down by hand, but the unsightly crease in a new and otherwiseperfectly pressed garment remains.

A similar problem exists in commercial laundry and dry cleaningestablishments in which, when shirts and blouses are laundered or drycleaned as the case may be, a collar or cuif becomes inadvertently bentor creased and this condition is not discovered until the garment ispackaged or otherwise prepared for delivery to the customer. Such anunsightly crease in the garment, particularly a white shirt or lightcolored blouse where such a crease would be readily apparent, has adeleterious effect upon the customers opinion of the quality of thelaunderers workmanship.

Conventional pressing equipment is highly unsuited to removing theserelatively small but unsightly and undesirable appearance defects in newor freshly cleaned or laundered garments. For one thing, such equipmentrequires that the garment be unfolded and placed in the pressingequipment. This procedure is costly, and adds to the wear and tear onthe garment. In addition, it is frequently possible to correct thedefect and remove the crease merely by the application of a small amountof steam directly to the crease, without resorting to actual pressing ofthe material. However, again most conventional steaming and pressingequipment is of such a nature that the garment must be removed from thepackage, unfolded, and placed in the equipment, and then repackaged. Andsuch portable steaming devices as are known are either not capable ofsupplying superheated dry steam to the garment, which is a necessity inthe case of various materials which are spotted or otherwise injuriouslyaffected by being wetted, or they are not capableof applying a hotpressing surface to the relatively small and often difficult to reachcreased surface without first unfolding the garment. There is noheretofore known portable device which is suitable for either steam-3,264,765 Patented August 9, 1966 "ice ing or steaming and pressingsmall inaccesible portions of a folded garment.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide adevice for steaming, pressing or simultaneously steaming and pressingparticularly shaped portions of garments, such as collars and cuffs,which avoids the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior artequipment and devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described in which the same element performs both the steamingand pressing functions, whether individually or simultaneously.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe character described in which the steam is distributed and applied tothe surface of the material being pressed through the pressing surfaceof the element employed to effect the pressing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which is adaptable to press a variety of shapedportions of garments by the application thereto of differently shapedremovable pressing elements.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthe character described in which steam from an external source issuperheated and thoroughly dried before it is applied to the materialbeing pressed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a deviceof the character described which provides accurate control over thequantity and pressure of the steam being delivered to the material.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of meanswhereby the same heating element utilized to superheat the steamreceived from an external source is also utilized to heat the pressingsurface of a material pressing element attached to the device.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of means forassuring a proper circulation of the steam from an external sourcearound and along a heating element so that only dry superheated steamwill be discharged onto the material being treated.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro vide a device ofthe character described which is economical to manufacture, simple tooperate and maintain and inexpensive in cost.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device of thepresent invention with one form of steaming and pressing element appliedthereto;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are longitudinal views of alternative forms of steamingand pressing elements adapted to be utilized with the device of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of an alternative form ofsteam circulating means in the heating chamber.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE l, thesteaming and pressing device 10 is seen to comprise a substantiallyrectangular body portion 12 which is provided with an axial bore 14extending therethrough. One end 16 of the bore 14 is threaded toremovably but sealingly receive the correspondingly threaded end 18- ofan elongate, substantially cylindrical cartridgetype heating element 20,the heating element 20 extending through the bore 14 and having aportion which projects beyond the body portion 12 by a substantialdistance, such as three times the length of the body portion as in theillustrated embodiment. As will be more clear hereinafter, the amount bywhich the heating ele-.

ment projects beyond the body portion 12 is determined by the amount ofheat necessary to both superheat steam forms part of a superheatingchamber as will more clearly appear hereinafter.

The body portion 12 is provided with a passageway 24 and a connectingpassageway 26, the latter co.mmunicat-.

ing with the annular space .22. The passageways 24 and 26 are part of -aconduit means 26'- which connects the annular space 22 with an externalsource of s'team'whereby'steam from such source may be admitted. to theannular space 22. i In the illustrated embodiment, this source comprisesa steam generator 28 from which the passage of steam is controlled by asuitable valve mechanism such as the solenoid operated valve 30,.thelatter being controlled by a foot operated switch 32. A suitable Teflonor other flexible hose 33 connects the valve mech anism with the conduitmeans 26' to provide steam to the annular space 22 and also facilitatesmanipulation of the device to enhance portability thereof,

In order to direct steam to the areaof a garment being treated,..and tosimultaneously press this area if desired, the device is provided with amaterial pressing element 34 which is of hollow cylindrical constructionand fits over the portion of the heating element 20 which projectsbeyond the end of the body portion 12,. and is'connected to the bodyportion 12 at the end 36 thereof remote from the endhaving the. threadedportiorr16of the bore 14. .In the illustrated embodiment, the connectionof the pressing element 34 to the body portion 12,iandthe removalthereof and replacement of different pressing elements, is facilitatedby a short tubular connector '38. threaded engaged with the body portion12, and to which% the pressing element 34 is tconnectedby means of thenut 40. If. desired, however, the pressing element 34 and theconnector'38 may be an integral element.

It will be observed that both the pressing element 34 and the connector38 have an internal diameter which is largerthan the diameter of theheating element 20,- and substantially the same as the bore .14, therebyproviding an annular space 42 which forms a continuation of they annularspace 22. Thus the two annular spaces 22 and 42 together constitute aheating chamber extending for the .full length of the heating element 20in which the moist steam from the generator 28. is superheated'and.

dried so that only dry steam is-applied to the material being treated.The heating chamber is annular and sub stantially uniform incross-section throughout its length to assure an even superheating anddrying of the moist steam passing therethrough.

As previously stated, it is one of the objects. of this invention toboth steam a portion of a garment and to simultaneously press it withthe same element, thereby eliminating the necessity of a speciallyshaped pressing ele-, ment forpressing the particular portions ofgarments to which the present invention is suited and an auxiliarydevice for supplying the steam. To this end, the pressing element 34terminates outwardly in a shaped end, or tip 44, which, in the case ofthe pressing element 34, is pointed and conical in cross-section and isparticularly adapted for pressing creases in the pointed collars of mensshirts. The pressing tip 44 is provided withza'plurality of apertures 46through which the superheated steam from the chamber 22-42. is appliedto the material being pressed.

7 Thus it is seen that by the construction described, thev passingthrough the heating chamber 22-42 and to heat the pressing element withtipi44-ito a proper operating temperature. To facilitate the latter,'thepressing tip 34 i is made from a suitable high heat-conducting metal,the

thermal coefiicient of which determinesthe amount by whichzthe heatingelement 20shouldproject beyond the end of thebody portion 12; also, thelength of'the pressing element andthe shape thereof are factors. to becon-- i sideredin: selecting .a proper. size andcapacity heatingelement.

The device is provided with a suitable thermostatic con-- trolelement48iwhich controls the=temperature of the heating element 20.'inaccordance with thernature of the materialbeing pressed, itbeingunderstoodthat theiminimum temperature at'which the pressingelement operates is nevertheless sufi'icient to superheat the: steampassing through the chamber 22-42 to the desired dry condition-.'

In order to assure1the achievementof this conditionduring the passage ofthe. steam through the chamber 22-. 42, iprovision may be madeiforcausing the steam to circulate through the chamber andaround the.heating element 20 in intimate contact therewith. This is accomplishedin one embodiment-of'the invention by the provision of one or morespiral grooves 50 formed in the heating element 20 :which tend todirectthe steam around the heating elementin a helical path. Other meansmay be provided forachieving the same result, such assimis lar. groovesformed on the. innersurface of the connector 38.and the pressing element34.? FIG; 5 illustrates ;an-' other modificationofrneans-for causing thesteam .to circulate around and over theheatingelement 20,5this being theprovision of a sleeve 50 adapted to fit snugly within the connector 38and pressing element 34 and having a plurality of tabs 52 struckinwardly from the wall of the; sleeve, thereby providing an obstructionor barrier 1 to the free flow of steam through the heating chamber. and

at the same time providing apertures-54in the sleeve .to

facilitate the passage; of heat from the .heating element 20 to thepressing element 34.t The use of this construc tion requires a reductionin:the diameter of the heating element 20.

24and cooperating with a valve seat 58 formed therein.

The valve 56.'iS adjusted relative to the seat 58 by turning a threadedshank 60'received in a threaded bore 62 formed in:the body portion 12 inaxial alignment with the pas-- sageway 24. i A spring 64-maintains theneedle valve in any .desired position to which;it isE set by turning theknob The deviceof this invention is intendedto. be relatively portableand to be hand held whenin use, sothat thepressing element 34 may bedirected into relatively inaccessi'bleplaces within the garment to steamor steama and press such places-without the necessity of unfolding thegarment. To this end, the operating parts of the deviceare. partiallyencased .in'a housing having a central holding portion 68, an outwardlyflared closed end and anroutwardly flared open end '72.. The .open end72 is closed by a suitable cap or cover 74-which is removable.

to provide access to. the interior -of the housing, and which isprovided with an;aperture 76 which snugly surrounds the connector 38 andan aperture 78 through which the shank 60 'of the needle valve 56extends. The housing.

may. also be provided with scales. (not shown) with which a knob80cooperates to indicate the temperature setting ofthethermostaticwcontrol -48fiandwith whichithe-knob 66 cooperates toindicate the. setting of the needle valve 56.1. In addition,thetinterior, of the housing is preferably filled with a. suitableinsulating material 82 to maintain the housing sufficiently,coolito-hold over long periods of use.

As. indicated hereinabove, theypressingyelement '34.i s

removable, either directly from the body portion 12 or from theconnector 38, to permit replacement thereof with other pressing elementsfor pressing differently shaped portions of the shirts or blouses. Forexample, the pressing element 84 illustrated in FIGURE 2 is particularlysuitable for steaming or pressing the various shapes of rounded collarsgenerally found on womens blouses. This pressing element comprises agenerally cylindncal portion 86 which terminates outwardly in a roundedend portion 88. The super-heated steam is discharged through a pluralityof apertures 90 arranged in at least one row extending substantially thelength of the cylindrical portion 86 and halfway around the rounded endportion 88.

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of pressing element 92which is particularly suitable for pressing or steaming the flatter orbroader portions of the garments such as the cuffs. This pressingelement has a somewhat triangular shaped tip 94 which diverges outwardlyof the pressing element, the tip 94 having a pressing surface 96 whichis disposed at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis of the pressingelement 92 when measured from within the pressing element. Thesuperheated steam is discharged through a plurality of aperturesarranged in any desired pattern such as the rows illustrated.

It is seen from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings thatthere is provided a steaming or steaming and pressing device whichavoids the abovementioned disadvantages and achieves the foregoingobjects. It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limitedto the embodiments thereof described and illustrated, which are merelyillustrative of the principle of the invention and which are susceptibleto modification of size, form, location and arrangement of parts, butrather is intended to cover all such modification and equivalents as aredeemed to be within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A steaming and pressing device comprising (A) a body portion havingan axial bore therethrough,

(B) an elongate electric heating element mounted in one end of said boreand projecting therethrough and having a portion which extends outwardlyof said body portion a substantial distance, said heating element havinga diameter less than the diameter of said bore to define an annularspace therebetween,

(C) conduit means in said body portion communicating with said annularspace and including means conmeeting with an external source of steam,

(D) an elongate hollow fabric material pressing element connected tosaid body portion at the other end of said bore and surrounding saidoutwardly extending portion of said heating element, said pressingelement having an internal diameter larger than the diameter of saidheating element to define an annular space therebetween which forms anextension of the annular space within said body portion, both saidannular spaces forming a chamber within which steam from said externalsource is superheated and thus rendered free of moisture, and

(E) means adjacent the outermost end of said pressing element presentinga material pressing surface and for discharging said superheated steamonto the material being treated whereby said material may be steamed orsimultaneously steamed and pressed.

2. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidheating element is removably mounted in said one end of said 'bodyportion and in sealing relationship therewith.

3. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidheating element is cylindrical and wherein said pressing element has aninternal diameter substantially equal to that of said bore whereby saidheating chamber is of substantially uniform cross-sectionalconfiguration throughout its length.

4. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 6 wherein saidpressing element is removably connected to said body portion to permitremoval thereof and replacement with another pressing element.

5. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmeans presenting said material pressing surface and for discharging saidsuperheated steam comprises a shaped tip formed on the outermost end ofsaid pressing element, and a plurality of apertures provided in said tipand terminating outwardly in said pressing surface. l

6. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidtip is conical and terminates in a point, and said apertures arearranged in at least one row extending substantially the entire lengthof said conical tip.

7. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidtip comprises a substantially cylindrical portion which terminates in arounded end portion, and said apertures are arranged in at least one rowextending over said cylindrical portion and at least half way aroundsaid rounded end portion.

8. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidtip is triangular and diverges outwardly from said pressing element andhas a substantially flat pressing surface disposed at an obtuse anglerelative to the longitudinal axis of said pressing element, and saidapertures are arranged in a plurality of rows in the area of said flatpressing surface.

9. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 furtherincluding thermostatic control means operatively associated with saidheating element for controlling the operating temperature of saidpressing element.

10. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 furtherincluding means in said heating chamber for causing the steam passingtherethrough to circulate around and in intimate contact with saidheating element.

11. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidcirculating means comprises at least one spiral groove formed in thesurface of said heating element.

12. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidcirculating means comprises a sleeve adapted to fit snugly within saidpressing element, said sleeve having a plurality of tabs struck inwardlyout of the surface thereof and a plurality of apertures formed in saidsurface by striking out said tabs.

13. A steaming and pressing device as set forth in claim 1 furtherincluding valve means in said conduit means, said valve means beingadjustably carried by said body portion for controlling the rate of flowof steam through said conduit means.

14. A steaming and pressing device comprising (A) an elongate housinghaving opposite end portions and an intermediate handle portion,

(B) a body portion having an axial bore therethrough mounted in one endof said housing,

(C) an elongate electric heating element mounted in one end of said boreand projecting therethrough and having a portion which extends outwardlyof said body portion and beyond said one end of said housng asubstantial distance, said heating element havmg a diameter less thanthe diameter of said bore to define an annular space therebetween,

(D) conduit means in said body portion communicating with said annularspace and including means extending outwardly of said housing andconnecting with an external source of steam,

(E) an elongate hollow fabric material pressing element extending intosaid housing and connected to said body portion at the other end of saidbore and surrounding said outwardly extending portion of said heatingelement, said pressing element having an internal diameter larger thanthe diameter of said heatmg element to define an annular spacetherebetween which forms an extension of the annular space within saidbody portion, both said annular spaces form- 7, ing a chamber withinwhich steam from said external source is superheated and thus renderedfree of moisture, and

(F) means adjacent the outermost end of said pressing.

element presenting a material pressing' surface and for discharging saidsuperheated steam onto the ma teriallbeing treated whereby said materialmay be.

steamed or simultaneously steamed and pressed.

15. A steaming and pressing device-as set forth in claim 14 wherein saidpressing element is connected to said body portion by means of aconnector member extending through said one end of said housing andsecured to said body portion, said pressing element being removablyconnected to said connector member outwardly of said housing.

"8: 5 16. A steaming and pressing device as setfonth in claim 14 whereinsaid one end of said housing is closed by a removable cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS I 3,008,25211/1961 5 Robinson 38-141 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,214,063 4/1960 France

1. A STEAMING AND PRESSING DEVICE COMPRISING (A) A BODY PORTION HAVINGAN AXIAL BORE THERETHROUGH, (B) AN ELONGATE ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENTMOUNTED IN ONE END OF SAID BORE AND PROJECTING THERETHROUGH AND HAVING APORTION WHICH EXTENDS OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY PORTION A SUBSTANTIALDISTANCE, SAID HEATING ELEMENT HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE DIAMETEROF SAID BORE TO DEFINE AN ANNULAR SPACE THEREBETWEEN, (C) CONDUIT MEANSIN SAID BODY PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR SPACE AND INCLUDINGMEANS CONNECTING WITH AN EXTERNAL SOURCE OF STEAM, (D) AN ELONGATEHOLLOW FABRIC MATERIAL PRESSING ELEMENT CONNECTED TO SAID BODY PORTIONAT THE OTHER END OF SAID BORE AND SURROUNDING SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDINGPORTION OF SAID HEATING ELEMENT, SAID PRESSING ELEMENT HAVING ANINTERNAL DIAMETER LARGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID HEATING ELEMENT TODEFINE AN ANNULAR SPACE THEREBETWEEN WHICH FORMS AN EXTENSION OF THEANNULAR SPACE WITHIN SAID BODY PORTION, BOTH SAID ANNULAR SPACED FORMINGA CHAMBER WITHIN WHICH STEAM FROM SAID EXTERNAL SOURCE IS SUPERHEATEDAND THUS RENDERED FREE OF MOISTURE, AND (E) MEANS ADJACENT THE OUTERMOSTEND OF SAID PRESSING ELEMENT PRESENTING A MATERIAL PRESSURE SURFACE ANDFOR DISCHARGING SAID SUPERHEATED STEAM ONTO THE MATERIAL BEING TREATEDWHEREBY SAID MATERIAL MAY BE STEAMED OR SIMULTANEOUSLY STEAMED ANDPRESSED.